Nasal applicator



July 20,1948. c. E. WHITE 2,445,653

NASAL' APPLICATOR Filed Feb. 22, 1945 nasal membrangs or: hap y PatentedJuly 20,1948 v d 2,445,653

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d liquigl, yquld he of conveii d ling' a-1 1 d wprovid an. ap l szgifiori0. n ins-flu d form suchihatihere-is HQJQQKL of atomized liquid withthe current of air inp which the mist or liquid droplets are suspended.The lower end of the nozzle 4 is united to the upper end 8 of a rigidconduit. This conduit and the nozzle 4 are preferably integrally joinedand Preferably this ring has an upstanding lug 23 (Figs. 3 and 4). Ifthe ring 23 be so arranged as to be capable of turning relatively to thepart I8 of the conduit, then by manipulation of the lug 23 the ring maybe turned relatively to the cap so as, at will, to move the valve orvalves 22 toward or away from the corresponding inlet port or ports 2|On the other hand, it is contemplated that the part I8 of theconduitmaybe arranged for rotation within the top member of the cap. In thatevent, an arrangement such as illustrated in I Figs 5 to 7 may be used.In Figs. 5 and 6, the

may be of the same or different materials, as desired. Preferably theconduit at least should be I of transparent or translucent material, forinstance glass or a synthetic resin, and it is contemplated that thenozzle and conduit may be moulded in a single operation or that they maybe moulded in complemental half sections and joined to form the completestructure in any appropriate manner; Preferably, and as hereillustrated, the axis of the part 8 of this con' duit which joins thenozzle 4 is substantially vertical and parallel to or aligned with theaxis of the lower part IU of the conduit. This lower part I is securedto an attaching device II by means of which the conduit is to the neckof the bottle I.

This attaching device is here shown as a cap comprising thesubstantially cylindrical screwthreaded shell portion I2, for example ofmetal or moulded plastic, designed to have threaded engagement with thethreads on the bottle neck 2 and having a radial flange I3 at its upperend. This cap also comprises a lainellar top member, here shownasconsisting ofthree annuli I4, I and I6, of substantially like externaland internal diameter, the annuli I4 and I5 being of a relativelyresilient material, for example, rubber or rubber substitute, while theannulus IS'is of a stiff and relatively rigid material, for examplesheet metal. These annuli are assembled in'c oaxial relation andintroduced into the upper part of the member I2 so that the annulus I4engages the inner surface'cf flange I3 of the member I2. Preferably thislamellar top member is secured to the shell I2 by appropriatemeans forexample adhesive, and the several annulicompos-f ing thistop'arellkewise united, as for example, by an adhesive. When the cap isscrewed down onto the bottle neck, the lower annulus I5 en-' gages theupper edge I1 of the bottle neck, thus providing a tight, leakproofseal. The lower end portion I8 of the rigid conduit fits within thecentral aperture in the assembled annuli I4, I5 and I6, theconduit'preferably having an integral flange I9, which is located justabove the upper surface of the annulus I4, and an inner flange whichbears against the lower surface of the annulus I 5; the flanges I9 and20 being so spaced as to confine the top member between them withsuflicient' pressure to insure a leak-tight joint.

.The top member of the cap is provided with one or'moreair inlet ports2I oporative when unobstructed, to permit free entrance of air to theinterior of the container. For closing each of these ports there isprovided a valve member 22, the valve member or members preferably being secured to or integral with a thin resilient ring 23 coaxialwiththepart I8 of the conduit.

rem'ovably secured portion of the conduit so receive the lugs 20* andthus lower surface of the flange I9 is shown as provided with twosegmental lugs. The resilient valve supporting plate P (Fig. 7) has acentral aperture A for the reception of the part I 8, the aperturehaving segmental recesses 20 which constrain the plate P to turn withthe part I8. Thus, upon rotation of the conduit relatively to the cap,the valve or valves 22 will be correspondingly moved to cover or uncoverthe port or ports 2|. Alternatively, the part-P, or its equivalent, maybe integral with;flange I 9, the resiliency of the valve-seat ring I4being sufficient to permit the valves 22 to be moved to and fromoperative position by relative rotation of the part 24 and the cap I I.

Between its end portions 8 and I0 the conduit comprises asinuous,preferably S-shaped portion 24, including the upwardly convex bend 25,andthe downwardly convex bend 26, the latter being of increased diameteras respects the main v as to form the trap or reservoirchamber 26. Thatpart of the passage within the conduit which leads upwardly from thisreservoir or'trap to the nozzle "4 is provided with a constriction 21ofcapillary dl--' amete-r, for example a'diameter of mm. That part 28 ofthe passage in the conduit which leads into the reservoir or trapchamber 26 inclines downwardly so as to direct the incoming current ofair in a downwardly inclined direction. Prefera'bly-a baffle 29' isarranged within this part of the passage-so as further to deflect theincoming air current andto'caus'e it to impinge upon the surface ofliquid contained in the trap at avery acute angle. Thus this enteringjet of air tends to sweep up particles from the surface of the liquidwith an atomizing action, these particles being carried on and upthrough the very narrow constriction .21 where they are subjected tocompression. As the air current, with these en trained droplets, entersthe chamber 1, there is a sudden expansion of the air with a resultanttende'ncytobreak up the droplets of moisture still further, so thatbefore the current of air reaches the outlet 5, the liquid has beenreduced to an'extremely fine atomized or vaporous condltlon thoroughlyand uniformly mingled with the conveying air curren 5 When'the device isto be used as a dropper, the valves 22 are closed and the user invertsthe device so that'liquid from the container I gravitates throughthe'conduit into the region 28 where it reaches-a condition ofequilibrium. 'As the liq-' uid gravitates down the conduit,the airtrapped in the container increases in volume and de-'- creases inpressure while the air in the vicinity of baflie 29 remains atatmospheric pressure whereby the negative pressure created in thecontainer tends toreverse the direction of flow of the liquid. Acondition of equilibrium isestablished between the weight of the liquidcol-- umn and the aforesaid negative pressure when displacing: the airand, because the constriction is temporarily sealed, compressingsaiddisplaccdair toa slightanemone flow back intothe'container l. it is thusvery scagsyzfor the user to-deliver substantially assmall a quantity ofliquid trap chamber 26%.

to its normal position as shown inFig. 1, and the zendili of the nozzleiszinserted in the; nostril.

as may be desired'into the iThe user zmay now tip the head backwa d vagain inverting. the device, permitting the deterimined'quantity ,ofliquid in'the trap chamber slowly to escape .throughthe constriction:.21 and through the nozzle .4 .into the-nostril. At the -moment the.deviceis invertedgior the second time-and beioreanyliquicl :has run outof the container or trap chamber; the pressure; through out the"conduit, is atmospheric. :the determined .quantitvof liquid in the trap,A moment later chamber flows bygravity vto the constriction 2'! therebytemporarily to seal the constriction. Concomitantly the flows'bygravitydown :theconduit as aforesaid thereininto the trap chamber ly positivepressure. While the liquid flowing from the container into the conduitwill again reach a condition of equilibrium as described above and theoutward flow will cease before the reservoir 26 is reached, thedetermined quantity of liquid will flow through the constriction 21 bymeans of gravity together with the force of the positive pressure of theair behind it, the pressure on the outer side of the constriction beingatmospheric. The determined quantity of liquid will then flow downwardlyalong the inner walls of nozzle 4 to the opening 5. At this moment allof the determined quantity of liquid will have passed through theconstriction 21 and although the air trapped behind said liquid willhave expended some of its positive pressure through expansion of volume,its pressure will still be slightly positive. The determined quantity ofliquid remaining at the opening will then continue to escape in dropsdue to the weight of the column of the determined quantity of liquidtogether with the force of the slightly positive pressure of the airtrapped behind it, which together slightly overbalance the atmosphericpressure existing at the outside of opening 5. It will be understoodthat in use, if the sides of the nostril are brought in contact with theedges of the nozzle 4 at the opening 5, the surface tension of the dropformed at the opening 5 will be broken and the determined quantity ofliquid will flow into the nostril. It is evident that the remainingliquid in the container has flowed no further than the region 28 and hasagain assumed the equilibrium above described, thereby ensuring that nomore than the determined quantity of liquid received in the reservoirflows to the nostril of the user. This arrangement permits the user todetermine substantially the exact quantity of fluid to be delivered intothe nostril and the delivery of this fluid into the nostril is sogradual that no pos- T'Ihe device is now restored liquidin the containeralso xsible harm.-oan--come to :the :nasalimemhranes or.-cavities.Furthermore 713118 shape Of tlmi-nolr -zle is such'thatits.insertioniinztharnostril can notpause mechanical injury.- l

If the device is to he used. as; anatomizergthe operator. may .in the.-:way 1 above described, pause a certain: portion of'the liquid'to entertheitrap chamber 226 2-H; :then. opens the :.valves laiS tiO1-19Brmitair :freely to enter thescontainer and by placing-thenozzle inthetnostril :andiinr haling' (while "the other nostril is closedibylthefinger) acurrent of air'is caused:to;enterithe port-2 I .and thence to:pass up through. the soon.- duit. 'iIn entering the trap; chamberthroughathe passage 28 this aair is-oausedto impinge forcibly upon theliquid :so asi toapickaupzliquidzparticles, vaporizer-them and carrythem upsinto vthenasal passagei-n a very-finely divided condition. Thisarrangement for atomizing: the ,liquidcavoids :the use ofmechanical-pumpslof anyttype to produce the vaporizing current, thusavoiding dangerous pressures in the nasal cavity andat the :same timemaking it unnecessary toprovide suchgpump devices.

It may be appreciated that the devioathus provided is of extremelysimplelform comprises no moving parts othenthan the valvefor-closinoropen-ingthe zair-inlet port, itsuse canmot injure-the patient, and itmaybe maxie lvery cheaply and occupy but littlelspaoe andhas nothingthat will rapidlydeteriorato regardless of the fluid-which is used fortreatment.

While a desirable embodiment of the-invention has been illustratedbywaynof example, it is tobe understood that the invention-is not:necessarily limited to this precise embodiment, but is broadly inclusiveof any and all modifications falling within the scope of the appendedclaims.

I claim:

1. A combined dropper and atomizer for nasal use designed to be attachedto the neck of a liquid cointainer and comprising a hollow nozzledesigned to enter and plug the nostril, a cap for removable leak-tightengagement with the container neck, and connecting means constituting aliquid path from the container to the nozzle and comprising a rigidS-shaped conduit, said conduit comprising an enlarged concave bend, theenlargement extending downwardly in the direction of the container, sa'denlarged bend defining a reservoir in said liquid path adapted forreceiving and holding a determined quantity of liquid passed theretofrom the container upon inversion of the container, and a part of theconduit beyond the reservoir in the direction of the nozzle being formedto provide a delivery passage of capillary dimensions.

2. A combined dropper and atomizer for nasal use designed to be attachedto the neck of a liquid container and comprising a hollow nozzledesigned to enter and plug the nostril, a cap for removable leak-tightengagement with the container neck, and connecting means constituting aliquid path from the container to the nozzle and comprising a rigids-shaped conduit, said conduit comprising an enlarged concave bend, theenlargement extending downwardly in the direction of the container, saidenlarged bend defining a reservoir in said liquid path adapted forreceiving and holding a determined quantity of liquid passed theretofrom the container upon inversion of the container, and a part of theconduit beyond the reservoir and in advance of the hollow nozzle beingformed to provide a delivery passage of capillary dimensions.

inversion I of the container,

atdifii'zer for nasal the neck of a liqrection: of the container, saidenlarged bend defining a reservoir in saidliquid path adapted forreceiving and holding a determined quantity of liquid which is passedinto the lower curve of the S-shaped conduit from the container upon anda part of the conduit beyond the reservoir in the direction of thenozzle being formed to provide a delivery passage of capillarydimensions.

4. A combined dropper and atomizer for nasal use designed to be attachedto the neck of a liquidcontainer and comprising a hollow nozzle designedto enter and plug the nostril, a cap for removable leak-tight engagementwith the container neck; and connecting means constituting a liquid pathfrom the container to the nozzle and comprising a rigid S-shapedconduit, said conduit comprising an enlarged concave bend in the uppercurve of the S-shaped conduit, the enlargement extending downwardly inthe direction of the container, said enlarged bend defining a reservoirin said liquid path adapted for receiving and holding a determinedquantity of liquid which is passed into the lower curve of the S-shapedconduit from the container upoi inver ion of the container, and'a partorthe con duit beyond the reservoir in the direction of thl nozzle beingformed to provide a delivery pas sage of capillary dimensions, saidconnecting means, when the containeris restored to upright position,presenting a continuous air passage from the container to the nozzle andpassing over the surface of the liquid in the reservoir.

. CHARLES E. WHITE,

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name l Date Re. 14,325 Burke July'3, 1917377,571 McGeary Feb. 7, 1888 394,888 Smith Dec. 18, 1888 776,372Anderson Nov. 29, 1904 839,085 Dorment Dec. 16, 1906 1,176,669 Endres eta1. Mar. 21, 1916 1,599,959 Fujimoto Sept. 14, 1926 1,679,816 DormentAug. 7, 1928 2,156,313 Schwab May 2, 1939 2,331,117 Goodhue et a1. Oct.5, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 428,432 Great Britain May13, 1935 447,717 France Nov. 15, 1912 541,470 France July 28, 1922249,832 Italy Aug. 18, 1926

